LAOAG, Philippines — A Japanese anti-ship missile smashed into and sunk a decommissioned Philippine naval vessel afloat in the South China Sea, headlining a culminating event of Exercise Balikatan 2026.
This missile firing of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s Type 88 surface-to-ship system from sand dunes near Laoag in northwest Luzon on May 6 was significant for several reasons.
Firstly…
U.S. special operations leaders expressed frustration Tuesday about manufacturers’ proprietary agreements that block them from making quick upgrades to military equipment.
The problem is especially acute for unmanned systems, they said, as technology is evolving far faster…
VILNIUS, Lithuania — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are readying to spend around €12.2 billion ($14 billion) from the European Union’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) low-cost loans on new weapons, equipment and ammunition, with first contracts to be signed in the…
VIENNA — Austrian Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets scrambled two days in a row to intercept U.S. military aircraft, the government said.
The interceptions took place on May 10 and 11 and were related to modified PC-12 turboprop aircraft that the U.S. military uses primarily for signals intelligence and scouting operations. The U.S. designation for the aircraft is U-28.
Contrary to initial…
RIGA, Latvia — NATO is setting up a marketplace where alliance members can shop for counter-drone systems — a pilot project within a broader push by the organization to speed up procurement and help countries adopt new technology more quickly.
The alliance has invited…
ISTANBUL — Aselsan used the Saha Expo 2026 defense exhibition here to present a vision of future warfare built around autonomous systems, layered air defense and integrated strike networks, as the Turkish defense-electronics giant seeks to expand its role as a domestic…
The U.S. Navy released its fiscal 2027 shipbuilding plan Monday, laying out the possibility of the service turning to allied nations to build its vessels.
The confirmation of potential outsourcing comes after President Donald Trump reportedly rejected previous Navy Secretary John Phelan’s suggestion to build Trump-class battleships abroad to meet the president’s desired delivery of…
ISTANBUL — Canada is seeking a rapid expansion of defense and industrial ties with Turkey as Ottawa looks for trusted middle-power partners amid shifting global security dynamics, Canadian Secretary of State for Defense Procurement Stephen Fuhr said during SAHA Expo…
With the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford en route home from what has become the longest U.S. Navy float since Vietnam, the service is reconsidering how to sustain a wartime fighting force.
That’s according to Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Perryman, who…
Ukrainian drone strike on empty Baltic fuel depot prompts top-level resignation – in Latvia
May 12, 2026
VIENNA — Latvia’s minister of defense has resigned following a renewed incursion of Ukrainian drones into the country’s airspace, where they hit an empty fuel depot. The incident marks the latest in a series of Baltic NATO airspace violations by misguided Ukrainian drones sent to strike Russian targets far away from Kyiv.
On May 7, two drones entered Latvia from Russian airspace, hitting a…
